Method of making clay building-blocks in imitation of stone



(No Model.)

J. C. ANDERSON. METHOD OF MAKING CLAY BUILDINGBLUGKS IN IMITATION 0FSTONE Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

M 5 91mi C @Qzf, W 7% UNITED. STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C.,ANDERSON, on HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF MAKING CLAY BUILDING-BLOCKS IN IMITATION 0F STONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iPatent No. 424,251, dated March25, 1890.

Application filed December 4, 1888. Renewed March 1, 1890- Serial No.342,206- (No model.)

of Illinois, have invented new and useful'Improvements in Methods ofManufacturing Clay Building-Blocks in Imitation of Stone; and I dohereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact descriptionof said invention,

reference being had to' the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful method of manufacturing bricksor blocks from clay.

bricks or blocks from clay in imitation of the various stones, having aroughened or granulated surface representing the natural cleavages ofthe stone, as Well as the natural colors.

My invent-i011 consists, therefore, of forming a block or brick of asufficient size for making two or more blocks or bricks of a series ofthin slabs of clay pressed or compacted together to form a solid body,and in then pulling or severing the block into two or more sectionsbetween the layers, so as to produce a fractured or roughened surface onthe brick or block.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the1nold-box in which the blocks or clay bodies are formed and a side viewof the mold, charger, and plunger. Fig. 2 is a side view of themold-box, showing the movable section in its forward or closed position.Fig. 3 is also a side view of the moldbox, showing the movable sectionin an open position.

In an application filed by me April 19, 1888, Serial No. 271,193, I haveshown, described, and claimed a machine for making large bodies orblocks of clay, said bodies or blocks being made up of thin slabs orlayers of clay, the same being caused to adhere together by means ofa-slip or wetted surface.

In the machine above referred to the die or mold-box is open at one end,and as each layer of clay is pressed onto the previously pressed andcompacted body the said body is the machine, and only such parts areshown here as serve "to carry out n1ymethod.

A indicatesthemo1d-bon, in which the articles are com 'iressed'bytheplungerB, said mold-box being divided into two sections C and D, thesection 0 being rigid "or firmly secured to the frame of the machine,while the section D is capable of a slight longitudinal movement and isguided'in said movement by suitable guides or ways E, so as to Theobject of my invention is to produce prevent said section from movingin'a transverse direction. The plunger B works through the charger F topress the clay therefrom onto the previously formed clay body. Saidcharger, when it returns to its upper position to receive its chargefrom the clay-box, (not shown,) carries with it the slip-rolls II and I,which moisten or deposit a layer of slip onto the clay slab lastpressed, the rolls H and I receiving the slip or moisture from the tankK.

I will now proceed to describe the devices by which the clay bodies aretorn into blocks of the desired size, so as to form the roughened orfractured surface.

The section D of the mold-box is connected to the section 0 by means oflinks L and bellcrank levers M, one on each side, the point of unionbetween the links L and levers M forming. a toggle-joint. The bell-cranklevers M are pivoted to the side of the sections 0 of the mold-box, asshown at N, while the long arm 0 of said lever projects'upward and isprovided with a stud a, which extends out to one side and enters thegroove 1) in the ratchet-wheel P. The ratchet wheel P is mounted insuitable bearings and provided with ratchet-teeth adapted to receive thepawl B, said pawl being pivoted to the rocking levers S. The lower endof the lever S is piv- 9 oted to the axis of the ratchet-wheel or to anyother suitable point, while its upper end is secured to the end of thepitman T, the other end ofthe pitman being secured to the yoke U, towhich. the plunger B is attached and by which the plunger is operated.The groove b in the ratchet-wheel P is concentric with the axis of saidwheel, except at the point 0,

-where an offset is formed on the outer wall of said groove, which,coming in contact with the stud a on the bell-crank lever, causes thesame to rock back and forth, moving the section D toward and from thesection 0 to tear or sever the clay body at that point. A slab of clayis pressed upon the previously-formed slab at each forward movement ofthe plunger and caused to adhere to the same by means of the layer orcoating of slip or moisture deposited by the rolls H and I, so that theblock produced is practically a solid one. The connections between theratchet-wheel and yoke U are such that at each backward movement of theplunger the ratchet-wheel is moved one tooth. The pin a on the lever M,traveling in the plain or circular portions of the groove 1), allows oradmits the clay slabs to be formed or compacted together; but when thestud a reaches the point C in the slot the upper end of the bell-cranklever is thrown forward, as shown in Fig. 3, and causes the links L andthe portion'of the hellcrank connected to it to assume a horizontalline. This forces the section D away from the section 0 and tears theclaybody apart on the line with the end of the section 0, thus causing afracture between the portions severed representing the natural cleavageof stone.

After the stud a has passed the point or short curve 0 in the groove 1)the upper end of the lever is thrown back, bringing the section D incontact with the section C and pressing the fractured faces of the claybodies together again, so as to press the granules of clay which havebecome loosened by the fracture into the faces of the blocks, and givingto the same a firm texture or skin and at the same time preserving thefull granular roughened surface; and when the burning has taken placethe granules become so firmly fixed that no possible disintegration cantake place by thermal changes or osmotic action. The ordinary clay formaking red brick may be used; but I prefer to use a pure clay mixed withmetallic oxides, which will give the desired color to imitatebrownstone, greystone, granite, or any of the plain-colored stones, andby the use of clays of different color I produce an imitation of onyx,jasper, and, in fact, of all kinds of variegated stones. In applicationsfiled of even date herewith, Serial Nos. 292,582 and 292,584, I haveclaimed the machine and the article, and such I do not claim in thisapplication.

What I claim is- An improvement in the art of making building-blocks inimitation of stone, which consists in making a body or block of a seriesof thin slabs of clay of the desired color, and in then tearing suchbody in two to form faces representing the natural fracture of stone.

In testimony whereof I a'ffix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

J. C. ANDERSON.

Witnesses: I

L. W. SINSABAUGH, H. M. STERLING.

